Funding Plan

[Ron Toland]

I agree with Stephen that we need to start talking about how to fund
the development of our open-source tool, and be ready with a plan for
Celtx by next week.

Here's the proposals I've heard so far:

1) IGDA internal funding: Presumably the IGDA will have some money in
the near future to fund SIG activities. We could ask for funding to
help us create an industry-standard tool.

2) Industry coalition funding: We approach several different
development companies and ask them to each chip in towards an open-
source game writing tool.

3) Big Donor funding: We find a single donor big enough to finance our
end of things by themselves.

4) Funding drive: We try to hold fundraisers among the membership to
pull together enough funding to either get Celtx started or enhance
the funding we get from sources 1, 2, or 3.

What do y'all think of these? Additional ideas?

Just to be sure: does anyone object to giving Celtx some funding up
front?

Ron

[Dan Pinchbeck]

Hi all,

Depending on the figures being kicked around, it strikes me that there
may be an opportunity to access some research funding for discrete
aspects of this development too - it's certainly something that I can
see there being a worthwhile link to both research and teaching with.

This is a really exciting proposal to watch develop and I really take my
hat off to you all for pushing it forwards.

Best,

Dan

Dan Pinchbeck
Advanced Games Research Group
Course Leader: BSc Creative Computing Technologies
School of Creative Technologies
Eldon Building
Winston Churchill Avenue
University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth PO1 2DJ
Tel: +44(0)2392 845479
Email: dan.pi...@port.ac.uk
Web: www.danpinchbeck.co.uk
www.thechineseroom.co.uk
>>> Ron Toland <ront...@gmail.com> 10/07/08 7:53 PM >>>

[Ron Toland]

Dan: thanks for the feedback. Do you have any particular research
grants in mind that might be applicable? Would you be willing to do a
little research in this area for us?

Ron

On Jul 10, 5:38 pm, "Dan Pinchbeck" <Dan.Pinchb...@port.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Depending on the figures being kicked around, it strikes me that there
> may be an opportunity to access some research funding for discrete
> aspects of this development too - it's certainly something that I can
> see there being a worthwhile link to both research and teaching with.
>
> This is a really exciting proposal to watch develop and I really take my
> hat off to you all for pushing it forwards.
>
> Best,
>
> Dan
>
> Dan Pinchbeck
> Advanced Games Research Group
> Course Leader: BSc Creative Computing Technologies
> School of Creative Technologies
> Eldon Building
> Winston Churchill Avenue
> University of Portsmouth
> Portsmouth PO1 2DJ
> Tel: +44(0)2392 845479

> Email: dan.pinchb...@port.ac.uk
> Web:www.danpinchbeck.co.uk
>          www.thechineseroom.co.uk
>
> >>> Ron Toland <rontol...@gmail.com> 10/07/08 7:53 PM >>>

[Coray Seifert]

Great thoughts Ron.

My 2 cents is that we should not be considering or discussing funding this venture, for 2 reasons:

1. As a non-profit org, we would be remiss to contribute our membership-derived funds to a for-profit venture. Plus, if Celtx is going to be monetizing what we help them develop, they should be the ones taking on the up-front financial risk.

2. We are providing a great deal of tangible, valuable and above all, expensive resources to Celtx to develop this project. The industry expertise, marketing, and structure that we would bring to the project are not free. They cost the IGDA money directly, and they cost the people working on this project on the IGDA side their time, and as WoW reminds us "time is money, friend".

Just my 2 cents. Thanks for bringing up this topic Ron. Good stuff.

- C

[Stephen E. Dinehart]

I agree. Money is no something we can offer, I've been pretty clear about that. Our value add comes from consulting on product design, adoption and marketing, as outlined in the document Ron created.

I think this will happen we just need to give it time to simmer.

Stephen

 Coray Seifert wrote:

[Ron Toland]

Coray: those are good points. The IGDA shouldn't use non-profit money
to fund a for-profit venture, especially one we're going to be
consulting on and promoting.

What about asking several studios to chip in money directly? Roane
made the suggestion that we find writers at each major studio to
champion the idea of funding an open-source game writing tool. Do
y'all think that's a good idea? Or should we be completely hands-off
when it comes to funding the tool's development?

Ron

On Jul 17, 6:00 pm, "Stephen E. Dinehart" <s...@flownaway.com> wrote:
> I agree. Money is no something we can offer, I've been pretty clear
> about that. Our value add comes from consulting on product design,
> adoption and marketing, as outlined in the document Ron created.
>
> I think this will happen we just need to give it time to simmer.
>
> Stephen
>
>  Coray Seifert wrote:
> > Great thoughts Ron.
>
> > My 2 cents is that we should not be considering or discussing funding
> > this venture, for 2 reasons:
>
> > 1. As a non-profit org, we would be remiss to contribute our
> > membership-derived funds to a for-profit venture. Plus, if Celtx is
> > going to be monetizing what we help them develop, they should be the
> > ones taking on the up-front financial risk.
>
> > 2. We are providing a great deal of tangible, valuable and above all,
> > expensive resources to Celtx to develop this project. The industry
> > expertise, marketing, and structure that we would bring to the project
> > are not free. They cost the IGDA money directly, and they cost the
> > people working on this project on the IGDA side their time, and as WoW
> > reminds us "time is money, friend".
>
> > Just my 2 cents. Thanks for bringing up this topic Ron. Good stuff.
>
> > - C
>

[Coray Seifert]

I think if they demand that we fund this, then we could consider something like that, although I don't know how much success we'd see. I do think that we should be completely hands-off with funding the development of this tool.

Just my 2 cents though. I'd be interested in hearing the group's thoughts.

- C

[Corvus Elrod]

I don't think we should be involved with the funding at all. It's not
as if we're asking for a proprietary tool just for our use.

--
Corvus

[Ed Fear]

I agree with Corvus - I don't think money should be involved at any
juncture. There are too many uncertainties - what would happen if a
key person left Celtx, for example? We'd be like a publisher having to
do due diligence on a developer. Even if we had guaranteed IGDA money
I don't think it should be used for third parties to profit from.

Or at least, that's my 2p anyway.
E

2008/7/21 Corvus Elrod <corvus...@zakelro.com>:

--
http://www.edfear.com

[Coray Seifert]

Now, if we wanted to hire Celtx to develop this as an IGDA-owned and distributed tool, free to members, but pay-to-play for non-members, then I think you'd have a good case to tap into some of the funding that is available for the SIGs right now (about 10k i believe).

Hmmmmmmm...

- C

[corvus...@zakelro.com]

Don't forget licensing issues. I'm not sure that plan would be legal
per the Moz license the tool is developed under.

--
Corvus Elrod, Zakelro Story Studio
http://www.zakelro.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/corvus

[Stephen E. Dinehart]

"We made it with 10k and a roll of duct tape."

Something tells me it might take a few more dollars. Let's steer clear of cash, and offer our "gray matter" instead.

:)

corvus...@zakelro.com wrote: